Agony
by CocoaPuppiez
Summary: ***MAJOR spoilers for those who haven't seen the third season. Daryl returns to the prison after losing Merle to the Governor, not knowing the events that soon follow.


For the first time in his entire life, Daryl felt truly scarred. The marks and cuts on his back didn't even compare to the pain he was feeling at this moment, the agonizing pain as he thrusted his hand back down to Merle's corpse. Blood spewed from his head, only covering Daryl's hand more with every blow. Daryl wept uncontrollably as he delivered the final hit, falling back and cringing into a ball of unholy remorse.

* * *

Carol stood with the group as Rick gave his emotional speech to the crowd. Baby Judith lay in her arms calmly, Carol swinging her back and forth occasionally. Rick finally finished, and as he made his way back inside, Carol looked him in the eyes and asked, " When do you think they'll all be back? "

Rick hesitated for a moment. He didn't know how to answer Carol without hurting her again, just like he did when he had to tell her Daryl wasn't coming back. " Hopefully soon. " He responded. Rick motioned for Carol to give him Judith, and Carol did willingly. Afterwards, he pushed her to the side slightly and made his way past her. She grunted at his ill attitude but decided to let it past, considering he must be in stress. Carol decided to take a walk to the front gate, looking out for either Daryl, Merle, or Michonne.

After a few minutes passed, Carol had got into a sitting position near the gate. Once in a while people would come and ask how she was, asked her to come inside, but she refused until she saw a grisly, rough man come to that gate, Daryl. Carol waited, and waited, and waited. Nothing came to her that evening except for the occasional walker, or a calm breeze rushing through her hair.

Just as Carol got up to head inside, she heard something very close to her. Her head swung back in terror, thinking a walker was here. Michonne had already come back, but Carol's main concern still lay with Daryl. Silence followed soon after the rustle. Carol figured it was safe now, so she continued to walk until she heard another unsettling noise. The faint sound of heavy breathing and footsteps came closer and closer until Carol could make out a figure in the distance. It was Daryl.

Happily Carol skipped to the gate, smiling from ear to ear when she saw him come closer. As he stepped up to the gate, his hands we're covered in blood, and his hair was messy. Carol took a step back at the raw sight of him, thinking something horrible might have happened while he was out. She remembered Merle, but the question fled her mind when Daryl shook the gate forcefully, muttering, " Let me in. "

The loud noises that came from the gate were paid no attention, as Carol shut them behind Daryl as he trudged his way up the paved hill to the prison. Carol kept her eyes on him with every move he made, looking him up and down for any major wounds. To her luck she didn't find any once they we're carefully analyzed inside the prison. Everyone else was busy doing something, preparing for the war, taking care of Judith, so Carol felt as if it were her job to take care of Daryl.

" What happened? " She asked him quietly. Carol moved her head to face him. Hoping for a similar physical response, Carol put her hand carefully on Daryl's thigh. Suddenly she felt a strong slap against it, knocking it away. Daryl muttered underneath his breath, " Don't fucking touch me. "

Carol, who was absolutely shocked, stood up and made her distance. All of the memories of the abuse Ed gave her flashed into her head quickly as the stinging pain of Daryl's rough hand remained on her own. Daryl quickly came to realize what he had done and got up, coming closer to her, saying, " I'm sorry, Carol... I just.." Daryl couldn't finish his sentence as tears formed in his eyes, choking his throat. Carol didn't know how to respond, she only knew that he was hurt and she didn't know how to react to such a rare sight.

" Merle...he's, he's turned, Carol. I offed em' but...DAMMIT, CAROL! Why did it have to me my brother? He was the only one I had, the only one.." Daryl managed say through the pouring tears coming from his eyes. Daryl wept hard into his hands. Carol had no idea what to say or how to respond, and the only thing that managed to come out of her was, " Let's step outside. It's dark and calm, relaxing. "

Carol slowly led Daryl outside, moving each foot carefully and steadily. She knew he was weak and tried her best to hold him up. Finally she stood in front of him, the two facing each other under the moonlight. The moon shined bright down on their two, pure, innocent bodies. Daryl had his face covered with his bloody hands, so Carol decided to take them down and put her hands into them. She looked into his horror filled eyes, gazing deep into them. Daryl did the exact same, sniffing and catching his breaths occasionally. Suddenly, Daryl felt warm. Carol had pressed her small, frail body against his, wrapping her arms around him. Daryl began to shake at first, but then as he felt her press harder against his body, his shaking ceased. Daryl felt the warm breath of a whisper soak into his shirt as he heard Carol say, " I love you. " Daryl replied shortly after, " I..I love you too Carol, thank you so mu- "

Daryl's sentence was broken off by a horribly loud, horrifying noise. He felt a fast, sharp quick movement of air skim his chin, causing him to panic. Suddenly his arms became heavy and uncomfortable. Everyone from inside the prison came rushing out, but Daryl didn't hear anyone's yelling or screaming. He only felt his arms becoming unbearably heavy. A burden was taken off of his arms when he felt a cold liquid seeping into his shirt, contrasted to the warm breathing Carol just gave. Carol.

Her limp body sunk down from his arms and violently hit the pavement. Daryl was terrified to look down, he couldn't force himself to look down. As Michonne came running past Daryl, she hit his shoulder, causing Daryl's head to jerk and face the ground. The sight he saw now was heart-wrenching and crushed all of his hopes and pretenses. Carol's petite little head lay on the ground covered in blood as a fresh, new bullet hole was scarred across her temple.

* * *

It was a quiet evening. The grass underneath the groups feet swayed carefully back and forth, not disturbing a soul. Daryl had his head facing the ground, his eyes not to be seen by any other member of the group. Only Carol had died that evening. When it was further investigated, Rick found out that the Governor had sent a small group out to terrorize them. It was only a small threat, to scare them. Earlier that day when Rick was trying to explain this to Daryl, it was as if the words came into one ear and out the other, Daryl only replying with a hundred mile stare.

Daryl only noticed that the others had left when he started to burst into uncontrollable tears and wasn't interrupted. His body had the same, similar motions as to the night when he had lost Merle, seeing as his body was now on the floor near Carol's grave, cringing and shaking and bending. His hands grabbed a fist full of grass, tossing it into the air and screaming aloud. The wind blew by, and as the still night came to an end, Daryl hadn't moved an inch next to Carol and Merle's graves.


End file.
